There’s a new spot to cool off in the National Capital Region this summer. The National Capital Commission has opened a new swimming dock on the Ottawa River behind the Canadian Museum of History in Gatineau. The dock officially opened Friday, and people weren’t hesitating to take a dip. Gatineau’s mayor, the NCC CEO and other officials were the first to jump into the Ottawa River. “It’s a great way to enjoy summer, it’s fresh, it’s safe, and it’s perfect for summer,” said Maude Marquis-Bissonnette, the mayor of Gatineau. The dock will be open seven days a week from morning to evening. “It’s a beautiful day. I did cycling on the canal along the Rideau River and then I stopped here to cool off,” said Paul Bechamp, who was swimming on Friday. “The water is nice and fresh. It’s really actually clean so it’s a beautiful place.” There is no lifeguard on duty, but visitors can borrow a life jacket. “These are deep water unsupervised sites so these are meant for experienced swimmers,” said NCC CEO Tobi Nussbaum. “If people want lifeguarded sites, there are many other places in the National Capital Region.” “It’s going to be here all summer and it’s free to for everyone who wants to freshen up and enjoy a bit of cool water on these hot, hot days,” said Carolina Dromaguet, the CEO of the Canadian Museum of History. Ottawa Public Health doesn’t recommend swimming in waterways for 24 to 48 hours after heavy rainfall, and Ottawa saw 39 millimetres of rain on Thursday. The NCC says they tested the water before Friday’s opening. “Yesterday’s rain didn’t come anywhere close to the rainstorm on Canada Day, which is fortunate,” said Nussbaum. “There is a combined sewage storage tunnel in the City of Ottawa that manages to hold a lot of the storm water, which is wonderful, which is why we get really excellent readings at all of our swim sites.” The water is tested one to four times a week and people can scan a QR code at the dock to check the results. The dock is one of two new swimming locations with views of Parliament Hill. The other is the new East Wharf platform near the Rideau Canal locks.
